CHICAGO — The Bulls produced enough offense to build a second-half cushion. They could not turn it into control of the final quarter.
Jalen Brunson scored 38 points and New York outscored Chicago 43–31 in the fourth Wednesday, rallying for a 133–127 victory at the United Center. Norman Powell led the Bulls with 30 points on 10-for-15 shooting, but Chicago fell to 1–4. The Knicks improved to 2–3.
The closing period changed a game the Bulls had led 62–56 at halftime and 96–90 after three quarters. Chicago scored 34 in the third, matching New York’s output in that period. Its six-point advantage entering the fourth provided an opportunity to finish at home. Instead, the Knicks doubled that margin in their favor over the final 12 minutes.
Brunson’s production was the central problem. He made 13 of 25 shots, including six of 10 from beyond the arc, and added seven assists. He could generate points without needing the Bulls to make an obvious mistake. His late shot-making also meant that Chicago’s own successful possessions often reduced a deficit without changing the direction of the game.
New York had led 34–33 after the opening quarter. Chicago answered with a 29–22 second period to take its halftime advantage. That earlier recovery showed the Bulls could change the game’s direction, but their fourth-quarter defense did not preserve the result of that work.
The official play-by-play shows how quickly that pressure accumulated. Landry Shamet’s three-pointer put New York ahead 112–109 with 6:26 remaining. Jordan Clarkson followed with a layup. After Caleb Wilson answered from deep for Chicago, Clarkson scored again and Brunson hit another three, moving the Knicks to a 119–112 advantage with 4:56 left.
Powell’s layup cut the gap to five, but Clarkson responded with a three-pointer. Brunson then supplied a turnaround jumper and another three. By the time Wilson connected from outside with 3:05 to play, New York had already reached 127 points. Chicago’s remaining offensive work had become a chase.
The Bulls did keep the outcome in doubt. Josh Giddey’s three-pointer brought them within 127–122 with 2:10 left. Brunson answered from deep at 1:39. Jalen Smith’s three with 46 seconds remaining cut New York’s lead to 130–127, leaving Chicago one possession away. The final score nevertheless reflected the Knicks’ ability to create and protect their late advantage.
Powell gave Chicago an efficient scoring foundation. He made four of nine three-pointers and six of nine free throws. Wilson added 20 points, six rebounds and four assists. Matas Buzelis finished with 17 points, while Smith supplied 17 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three blocks. Giddey recorded 10 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds.
Those contributions spread responsibility across the starting group. Chicago received 94 points from its starters and 33 from its bench. Tre Jones scored 11 off the bench and Leonard Miller added 10. Yet New York’s reserves delivered 48 points, a 15-point advantage that mattered even with Brunson carrying the largest individual scoring total.
Clarkson scored 18 in 16:46, making seven of 11 shots. Shamet had 14 points and five assists, with four three-pointers. Tyler Kolek added nine points and nine assists without a turnover. Their combined production gave the Knicks several ways to keep the offense moving around their leading scorers.
OG Anunoby contributed 23 points and Karl-Anthony Towns had 19 points, 13 rebounds and five assists. Towns’ three offensive rebounds were part of another significant New York advantage. The Knicks collected 16 offensive rebounds to Chicago’s eight and won the overall rebounding count 50–39.
That difference helps explain why Chicago’s higher overall shooting percentage did not produce a victory. The Bulls shot 48.4 percent to New York’s 44.8 percent, but the Knicks attempted 105 field goals to Chicago’s 91. New York also made 22 of 48 three-pointers, compared with Chicago’s 18 of 42. Four additional makes from beyond the arc supplied 12 points in a game decided by six.
The free-throw line gave the Bulls opportunities to offset some of that damage. Chicago attempted 30 free throws to New York’s 20, but made 21. The Knicks converted 17. The Bulls gained four points at the line while leaving nine attempts unconverted; it was an area of opportunity rather than a complete explanation for the defeat.
Both teams finished with 32 assists and 12 turnovers. Chicago’s passing therefore generated a substantial amount of offense without an unusually large turnover burden. The more immediate issue was sustaining enough stops and defensive rebounds to make that offense decisive. The fourth quarter showed the cost of failing to do both: the Bulls continued to score, but New York was scoring faster.
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